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Feb. 25 - March 3, 2022
FAMILY LAUNCHES FUNDRAISER TO HELP COVER
FAR ROCKAWAY GIRL’S FUNERAL EXPENSES
BY BILL PARRY
Queens leaders are urging
their constituents to
support a fundraising effort
for the family of the 10-yearold
girl who was tragically
struck and killed by a motorist
in Far Rockaway last
week.
Davina Afokoba was
walking home from school
with her two siblings last
Wednesday on Beach Channel
Drive near Dix Avenue
when a black Mazda CX9
SUV jumped the curb, killing
her and injuring a 32-yearold
woman as it smashed into
a vacant car wash.
“Our community has experienced
a terrible tragedy
— the death of a child — a
beautiful young girl, full of
promise with a bright future
ahead of her,” state Senator
James Sanders said. “As a
father myself, I can tell you
that I could not imagine
anything more devastating
than losing a child. Davina
Afokoba should be with us
today, celebrating life with
her family and friends, but
instead, they are planning
for her funeral.”
Davina’s mother Priscilla
has launched a GoFundMe
page to help the family pay
the costs of her youngest
daughter’s funeral. Queens
Borough President Donovan
Richards asked Queens residents
to help the youngster’s
family deal with the aftermath
of this tragedy.
“The sudden loss of
10-year-old Davina Afokoba
in last week’s tragic crash
has left Queens and all of
our city deeply saddened
and shaken,” Richards said.
“Our hearts go out to Davina’s
loving family during
this awful time. Donations
The mother of 10-year-old Davina Afokoba has established a GoFundMe page to help pay for her
daughter’s funeral after she was struck and killed by an SUV while walking home from school in Far
Rockaway last week. Photo courtesy of GoFundMe
to the GoFundMe fundraiser
are a great way for the community
to show its support
for Davina and her family as
they cope with the unimaginable
task of burying an innocent
child who had her entire
life ahead of her.”
The 35-year-old driver
of the SUV allegedly had
no license, only a learner’s
permit. Police from the 101st
Precinct in Far Rockaway
responded to the scene and
discovered the youngster
pinned between the vehicle
and the building. EMS responded
and declared the
child dead at the scene.
“We need to do all we can
to prevent reckless driving
and fatal collisions,” Sanders
said.
At least 26 people have
been killed in traffic collisions,
a 63% increase compared
to this point in 2021,
as of last Thursday. Of those,
five were 18 or younger, according
to Councilwoman
Selvena Brooks-Powers who
represents Far Rockaway.
“My heart sank when I
received the news of Davina
Afokoba’s death,” Brooks-
Powers said. “I have met
with her family, who are
completely devastated by
this loss. I am keeping them
in my thoughts and prayers.
One traffic death is one
death too many. District 31
had 11 traffic fatalities in
2021, more than any other
Council district. These
senseless deaths are the
result of years of underinvestment
and neglect of our
public space.”
In her role as chair of
the transportation and infrastructure
committee,
Brooks-Powers said she will
make it a top priority to visit
each of her colleagues’ districts
in the coming weeks to
identify the transportation
issues facing every neighborhood.
“I am looking forward to
working with Mayor Adams’
administration to address
transportation inequities
and ensure safer streets for
our families and communities,”
Brooks-Powers said.
In New York City, car
crashes remain the leading
cause of injurious death for
children, she added.
“Our children deserve
better. Our children deserve
to cross the street without
fear, and to walk on the sidewalk
without worry,” Transportation
Alternatives Executive
Director Danny Harris
said. “Our hearts go out to
the families of 10-year-old
Davina Afokoba and the
others who were killed and
injured by cars on unsafe
roads this week.”
He called on the mayor
to work with the City Council
to expand Vision Zero, to
fast-track DOT Commissioner
Ydanis Rodriguez’s commitments
to redesign 1,000
intersections for safety and
redesign dangerous roads.
“This work must start
without delay,” Harris
said. “We need to be traveling
with our leaders from
groundbreaking-to-groundbreaking
instead of vigil-tovigil.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4538.
Vol. 10 No. 8 44 total pages
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